Automatic signal for railroad crossings



0d. 9, 1923. mms3@ J. E. WESOLOWSKI AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD GROSSE'NGS Filed July 17, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l @et 9, H923, HATQESQT@ J. E. WEsoLowm AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS sie Patented Get. 9, 1923..

PATENT orrice.

JERRY E. XVESOLOWSKI, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

Appucation sled July 17; 1923. seriaino. 652,086.

To all coi/tom t may conce/Mt.'

c it known that l, JERRY E. VVnsoLowsnr, a citizen ot the United States; residing at Buffalo? in the county ofErie and State of New York, havev invented certain new and usei'ul Improvements in Automatici 2 vehicles, whereby the drivers will have ample time to stop the vehicle before reach'- ingthe railroad crossing. c

Other objectsot the invention will appear upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which. l

Figure 1 is a plan view o1 the signal diag am 'for operating thersignal,

Figure 2 is a section through the operating switch,

lligure 3 is a cross section through the railroad rail showing the switch operating element, y

Figure lis a front elevation of the signal :'55 box7 and Figure 5 is a cross section through the same.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the railway rails 1 and 2, arranged in pairs, indicate the rails over which the train travels in the direction indicated by the arrows. One o1 the rails in each pair is provided with a switch box 3 which should be a considerable distance from the grade crossing so that the signal will be energized when the train is t'ar enough away from the grade crossing to give ample warning to the driver ot' an approaching vehicle.

The switch box or housing 3 is in the 'forni ot a housing within which is mounted a switch contact f1 attached to the plate 5 which is supported on coil springs 6 in the bottom of the housing, and to which the wire l7 is connected in the electric circuit which is provided with the battery 8 for 55 supplying the required energy.

The top of the housing 3 is provided with an opening 9 within whicn is mounted a movable switch contact 1() which is in vertical alignment with the switch contact 1 and which is provided at its lowery end withf'a contact plate 11 adapted to engage the contact member 1. A coil spring 12 is interposed between the head oit the member 10 and guide brackets 13 within the housing, 65 so that upward movement is normally imparted to themovable switch member 10 whereby it will be held in open position.

A stop flangev14 is attached to the head of" the movable contact member' 10 whereby 70 downward movement will bel limited. rfhe movable switch member 10 is connected to the electric wiring by the lconductor lvwhich leads to the electriccircuit.

@ne of these switch elements will be provided in each pair of rails as indicated at 17 'and 18 in Figure 1, so that the switch will be operated when a train approaches from either direction.

Mounted adjacent the crossing is the electric signal whichv consists of signal l casings 19 having glass panels 2() in opposite sides thereof and provided on its disc with an electric light 21 which is connected in circuit with the corresponding switches 55 17 or 18 according to which of the signals is to be energized. The panels 2() are prominently inscribed with words ot warning to indicate to the drivers of approaching vehicles that they must take warning of a train, and this inscription may be as conspicuous as desired, as shown to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawings.

As a train approaches the grade crossing, the flange of the wheel of the locomotive will engage the switch element 10 and depress the same until it is :in contact with the switch element 4;, thus closing the circuit between the wires 7 and 15, whereby the signal lamp 21 within the signal hous- 100 ing will be energized to illuminate the glass panels, whereby the driver of the vehicle may be promptly warned ofthe approach of the train. Obviously, a bell or other audible signal may be included in the circuit so that the bell may be energized during the daytime if desired.

Minor changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the claims ,hereuntof appended.

Vhat l claim as new and secure by Letters Patent is;

l. An automatic signal for'railroad cross ings comprising, in combination.. with railway rails, a switch housingniounted adjacent one of the rails each., pair,. a resilient contact switch member arranged Ydesire to in the switch housing, springsSupporting rails whereby it .will-be- 'engaged lby the' flange of one of the. wheels of, the train, an electric circuit having conductors connected to the said switch members, Va signal element arrangediadjacent thev grade, crossing at opposite sides of the ysaid rails and vincluding a signal elementv adaptedv to beV electrically I energized whenythe two switchelements are in engagement to close the circuit. I

2. An automatic signa1.,lfor railroad crossings comprising, in combination with railway rails, a switch' housing mounted adjacent one of the rails in each pair, a resilient contact `switch member arranged in theY switch housing', springs supporting the resilient switch member in a Vslightly elevated position, a vertically movable switch member mounted above the resilient switch, member,- supporting bracket,V a

coil springinterposed between the supporting bracket and thehead or' the said movable switch member, a stop plate carried by the movable switch member to limit vthe ,downward movement of 4the switch member in the housing whenthe two switch members are. 4ini engagement, such .movable switch member beingI in close proximity to the headof `rone ofthejrails `whereby it will be engaged by the flange of. onevof the wheels of the train, an. electric: circuit having. conductors connected to4 they said switch members, a signal .element arranged adjacent the gradecrossing at opposite sides of the said rails and includinga signal element adapted to be electrically energized when Vthe two switch elements are inengagement to close the circuit, each signal element including a casing, having transparent panels, y a light mounted in the casing `and connected in the VSaid lcircuit, each ofthe-Said panels being inscribedl with. an.in,scription` lto be observed by the drivers of approaching vehicles..`y` ,j j g In testimony whereof. Ihave affiXe-dmy signature in -the vp1."esence rof two witnesses.

JERRY E. WESOLOWSKI. WmsSSS MICHAEL DQTA,

ANTHONY STOGIKA. 

